Irving, TX (April 4, 2022) -- The University of Dallas will discontinue the men’s and women’s lacrosse programs May 1 at the conclusion of the women's regular season.

“About 20% of our students are student-athletes, and we remain committed to providing a liberal arts education that embraces the formation of students – intellectually, spiritually and physically – through our other athletic program offerings,” said Executive Vice President John Plotts, who oversees the university's Athletics programs.

The lacrosse programs competed through memberships in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference for the women’s program and the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference for the men’s, but in recent years, both teams have had difficulty fielding the required number of players for an entire season, noted Athletics Director Jarred Samples. 

“The men’s season this year was canceled due to injuries, and while the women’s season continues, it’s been challenging to recruit players,” Samples said.

“The university has made this decision carefully, and we are grateful to all of the coaches, players and alumni of the program,” Plotts said. “The challenges lacrosse has undergone over the years required us to consider what would be in the long-term best interests of our Athletics program overall. We will continue to look at how we can expand sports in other ways to open opportunities for student recruitment while balancing operational costs in order to provide a positive overall experience for all of our student-athletes.”

About University of Dallas Athletics

The University of Dallas maintains 13 men’s and women’s NCAA Division III level teams in basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, cross country, golf, track and field, and women’s volleyball as part of the SCAC. Learn more at UDAthletics.com.

About the University of Dallas

Located in one of the largest and fastest-growing metropolitan areas of the U.S., the University of Dallas is a nationally recognized Catholic liberal arts university with campuses in Irving, Texas, and Rome, Italy. Known for the academic rigor of its undergraduate Core Curriculum, rooted in the great works of Western civilization and Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of Dallas also offers flexible graduate degrees in business, liberal arts and ministry, all taught by exceptional faculty who are dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom, truth and virtue. For more information, visit udallas.edu.